Archive for the ‘International Affairs’ Category

Thousands of years of human evolution has failed to quench the insatiable thirst of man for a man’s blood. Just like striving for power, is killing and annihilation a basic human instinct? We have learned and groomed and polished ourselves and become civilized. But civilization has taught us one art to perfection. Beyond a shadow of doubt, we have learned and mastered to kill and annihilate with sophistication.

We are proud to build immense data & information warehouses. And what do we gather? A bare ironic fact. Our immense knowledge, history, experience and learnings have done absolutely nothing to alter the beastly seeds of greed, lust and power ingrained in our genes. Everything pales in the face of this bare truth.

I don’t know if Jagjit’s ghazal has any co-relation to the ramblings and makes any sense here but I felt like embedding it in the same post.

With OBL safely dead and the world a better place to live in, we can safely resume our friendly relations with Uncle Sam. The place was well not that near to Islamabad and no threat to our nuclear assets. And even if they did breach our sovereignty, they were acting in line with their policy on terrorism and since we are the front line estate against terrorism, well they trusted us to understand. And of course we do! So if the place did happen to be where it was, they couldn’t do much about it, could they? With the ISI having strong links with the Taliban, it is perfectly understandable that they could not trust them.

Summarizing the whole episode, it would not be a bad idea if Uncle Sam were to adopt us altogether. We have behaved like the infant terrible up till now, but if we were to be adopted as its 52nd state. The only difference would be publicly declaring it. No? Like an extramarital affair seeing the light of the altar.

Our army has been wrongly accused of acting as their mercenaries, but once declared, it would be perfectly natural for them to safeguard the honour of their country. Unlimited benefits would entail of course.

1. Firstly IMF would be history. And our credit ratings would improve. Instead of us going to them, they would be falling over themselves to give us their loans.

Energy, unemployment, lawlessness would be tackled with

We would not have to give up our nuclear programme. It would be a strategic asset rather than a liability. With their (ours) nuclear installations in the region, they can keep China and Iran better at bay.

For professionals and intellectuals, it would be a boon. Our pay_scales and social security would improve. Unemployment would increase regrettably (who would want to work if they are being paid unemployment fund?)

And the best part part is that WE WONT NEED A VISA to go to the land of opportunities. But knowing Amreekans, they would surely contrive a way out of this. & our Afghan brethren would go crazy getting our Identity cards (those who haven’t already).

For the other side the deal would be far from futile. Instead of spending billions on outsourcing, they would be providing job opportunities to their own, instead of Indians. This would decrease foreign spending and save foreign exchange for them.

They would not have to spend any money on us in the name of Aid and give explanations to skeptic lawmakers about us. It would all be going to the building of their own country.

This alliance is so much more strategic in so many ways and so convenient for both sides. We would not have to pretend to our respective people our actions and they don’t have to ‘pressurize’ us to do any more or less.

Osama Bin Laden is dead and the world is celebrating. Why not? The biggest terrorist on the planet and most wanted and spiteful scalp in this Holy Global War Against Terror has been claimed and consigned to where he belonged. That spells an end to a dark era and extinction of all the misery and terrorism from the face of the globe. World abruptly turns into a much safer & peaceful heaven to live in. Congrats!

The condemned soul or his ghost has dissolved into thin air or depth of oceans where it was dumped in much haste. Why? For the reasons best known to the captives but that is perhaps not important and pointless.

What is important is to know that the myth or creation had approached its imminent shelf life. Nothing lasts for ever and every product is launched with an expiry date. As Robert Fisk sagely asserts, following the wave of insurgence and awakening in the Middle East and Arab world, Bin Laden had lost all relevance.

A ghost or a pawn that was created on the global chess board during the American war in Afghanistan by the agencies in the eighties continued to play according to a game plan. The puppet took the centre stage and limelight and entertained the audience world over as long as it was effective and meaningful. Invisible hands kept pulling the strings smartly and the absorbing show and act carried on until the dynamics began to change. In business terms, the product had completed its total useful life and was on its way to turning obsolete.

And that’s exactly how we deal with an obsolete object. It is ultimately dumped and gotten rid of upon its expiry. The man who had eluded the entire global intelligentsia laced with endless resources and information tools, equipped with surveillance systems that can penetrate and hunt down a needle or even its shadow or impression miles beneath the crest of the earth, for some unknown reason, took ten years to be traced and killed. But why the hell of all the places in the world in Abbottabad?

If it had to be Pakistan, perhaps it would’ve made some sense had he been dug out of some rocky caves in deserted Baluchistan or tribal belt; Or if he was captured from the stony expanse of Kohistan or even for that matter from the shadow or base of some of sky rocketing peaks in Gilgit or Baltistan. But as the luck would have it, it happened to be a most peaceful, serene, blooming, progressive and developing hill station; And above all home to the Pakistan Military Academy_ the training school of all the under commissioned army officers_ and a cantonment having significant military presence in the form FF and Baluch regimental centers. Is that just a mere coincidence!?

Like the rest of the world, as the fast paced events quickly unfolded, our government and foreign office was completely dumbfounded caught in utter shock and disbelief. For hours there came no official statement and when eventually it was issued, it was highly vague as expected. What is even more notable is that US president, Obama, in his statement specifically congratulated American forces and people without even slightest of mention of Pakistan or its co_operation. What is being regarded as a major diplomatic setback and failure, with a bit of cynicism, can be seen in a different light. Does that allude to a major policy shift on behalf of US in a new paradigm where Pakistan is being conveniently dumped or worse portrayed as a villain in the game? I sincerely hope not!

As one of my respected and wise friend most aptly puts it

“After successful screening for ten years internationally, the curtains on the greatest show on the earth “The Phantom of the Osama” have been drawn. The world waits with abated breaths for the next big international block buster. The hunt for the next big Charlton underway all over the Muslim world”

Isn’t it so true and sums it all up so befittingly?

Whatever happened, we should be pleased about Osama’s elimination as it terminated and permanently closed a bleak and deplorable chapter from the books of history. But wait a moment. What did the Saddam’s extermination lead Iraq into? If I think upon the similar lines, is that what is apparently visible just a twist in the fairy tale, a sinister beginning or a tip of the ice berg?

Before I really get started, let me clarify that I have no personal or political affiliations with PTI or any political or religious outfit for that matter. I am an ordinary citizen of the land of pure who simply believes in keeping his eyes and ears open and as tired and averse to all the gimmickry and everyday drama staged on the political stage by the buffoons, we hold in high esteem and reverence and shamelessly call our leaders. Neither do I believe in generalizations or stereotyping (or atleast I suppose so) nor drawing corresponding inference from an action just for the simple reason that it is associated with a particular source.

Yes. If I have some regard for the man, that is for his well rounded leadership skills. For he is the only skipper who led us to the victory stands during the ‘92 cricket world cup. I believe, that is extraordinary as no one else could accomplish the feat in 36 years of world cup history for Pakistan, even with much more talented super stars and players in the respective teams. A glance upon the history of the game reveals that despite various controversies, Imran Khan is easily one of the most successful captains, the cricket of Pakistan has known. Those who think I am digressing, I am actually not, as various leadership theories emphasize that it is the personality and personal attributes that formulate the central core of leadership skills or abilities. So whether you are leading a political party, a nation or a cricket team, it has more to do with your core personality, vision and motivational charisma than prowess and acumen.

In addition to that, Imran Khan has shown much more consistency in his political career than any other so called political leader, I have known lately. He is one person who has contributed directly to health and education main stream by establishing mega projects such as Shaukat Khanam Cancer Hospital and Namal University for the common man.

When it comes to drone attacks, I’ll rather base my case on facts, figures and reason than on rhetoric. The emphasis shall be upon the basic human rights’ violation as opposed to any political argument. As the various authentic sources reveal and the buzz is in the air, some 1184 innocent citizens have been butchered by drone attacks just in 2010. Wikipedia quotes the number of the slaughtered since 2004 anywhere between 1439 and 2290 including significant number of women and children, even infants. Brookings Institution suggests that Drone strikes may kill 10 or so civilians for every militant killed. Whereas, according to Pakistani sources, against the strike on every single terrorist or extremist, 50 innocent lives are acclaimed. How shameless can it really get when we dismiss it with such a God forsakenly brazen expression as ‘collateral damage’!? Are we living in stone age? We are talking of human blood and gore for God sake!

Where are all those so called champions of human rights who keep on jumping like clowns on every drop of the pin? Why are they deaf and blind to all that unjust bloodshed? It is disgusting even to watch some of the self proclaimed human rights’ workers to ridicule Imran for the simple reason that they cannot get over his right wing political leaning. At least he has the guts to stand for a just cause and humanity that I see as more than a mere lame attempt at gaining some political mileage.

Not that the butchering of innocent population like herds of sheep and goats can be justified in any way, when it comes to effectiveness of the drone attacks, how far have they been able to weed out extremism? How many scalps of proclaimed offenders or terrorists have we claimed and how many terrorist attacks or suicidal strikes have we been able to suppress so far in 7 years? What good has it contributed to restoration of regional peace?

It is not about Imran Khan or his politics but it is about standing up for a just cause and lives of innocent Pakistanis. Forget national sovereignty, forget foreign intervention, forget that nefarious and bogus war against terror_ how bizarre and ironic it really seems asking for the right of basic existence and putting forth a demand as innocent as sparing of those precious human lives and letting them live in peace in that rush of madness, supremacy and brutality!?. Really wonder if we are living in 21st century or are we transported back in history to the age of darkness and times of Genghis Khan?

In this golden era of modern civilization, a tower of human scalps is growing and well on the making for the world to witness!

‘Coaches don’t win you matches, players do’, goes the word of wisdom. But lets not forget one man’s contribution to the India’s lifting of the world cup after twenty eight long and tedious years.

Taking over the coaching of the Indian team during turbulent times and then moulding it into an invincible unit by sheer motivational training in just three years has not only earned Gary Kirsten due recognition but also put many unsettled questions to rest. Most importantly when a former Australian great Greg Chappell fell out with the skipper and the team and packed his bags under bitter circumstances in a classic showdown that witnessed magnanimous exchange of vocabulary and accusations from both ends, the efficacy of foreign coaches in regional context was widely questioned. It was in those adverse conditions and controversy that Gary accepted the challenge to work in an alien world and environment.

India and its cricket with all its geographical vastness and cultural diversity was all ripe to present every possible shock and challenge to a man on threshold of discovering wide regional, religious, traditional and ethical spheres within a whole. The team representing a rich mix emerges from a background comprising dozens of languages, having entirely different habits, preferences, approach and way of doing things. It was under those conditions that the man took to his job, not only acclimatized himself but just during a brief stint of three years, delivered and accomplished what none other could achieve for India during his tenure.

In their own turn, looks like the Indian lads took his every advice to heart including indulging in fervent sex ( not between themselves ) before the match to stimulate flow of their hormones and testosterone yielding aggression and spirit in the field defying and thus trampling the solemn lessons of celibacy preached ardently by the fatherly figure of Mahatma Gandhi for decades.

Perhaps what makes Gary unique is his motivational approach. Knowing the potential and capabilities of his players apparently, he knew how to extract the best out of them individually and more importantly to gel them together into a formidable unit with full faith in themselves. That is the reason that even the cricketing giants like Sehwag and Tendulkar are all praise for the man and have been drumming about the difference he has made to their game and the Indian cricket. Going through a depressing phase, from a low, when he was even left out of the squad for a few games to the ultimate surge where he emerged as the man of the tournament, Yuvraj Singh acknowledges his coach’s contribution in his achievement. Even a senior and accomplished player like Yuvraj considers Gary a parental figure.

Coaching a star studded rainbow of players with huge egos boasting of enviable and extravagant records takes all one could possibly imagine. In all probability, it was South African’s humble and intelligent handling, seamless communication and overwhelming commitment that helped him sail across the seas and deliver perhaps more than what he was expected to.

With a job well done, while the man is all set to return to his homeland and family to possibly accept a similar assignment for his native country or some Australian teams as the press reports reveal, lets give the man his due credit who has stamped his mark on the history of the game.

Taking nothing away from Indian team and their well deserved victory, WELL DONE Gary Kirsten!!!

Amidst all that drama, popping eyes, gaping mouths and boggling minds, the double murder convict American national and alleged CIA contractor Raymond Davis has been neatly whisked away from the scene triggering another controversy.

The abrupt unexpected development in addition to several other lasting effects has thankfully given plenty of fodder and fuel to the rattled talk show hosts and (yellow) journalists to set the whole world ablaze. Likes of Hamid Mir and Ansar Abbass, who I’d stop short of labeling leaning right wingers, but chronic pessimists and master propaganda campaigners can safely sensationalize, scream and whine going on and on for another couple of weeks over the issue.

Coming back to the core discussion, at the risk of being termed out of my mind, I’d venture to opine differently as opposed to popular point of view. While there are multiple dimensions attached to the controversy, for one, I see the conclusion salvaging some of our national pride rather than compromising the national honour or dignity. What makes me utter that so bluntly is the fact that despite all the pressure the government and judiciary were subjected to, we have been able to conduct and conclude a judicial trial. Although, the way events progressed they ultimately lead to the most logical and apparent climax and drop scene. US government resorting to its immense bargaining power and unfair disposition was able to recover its national as was being predominantly perceived from the very onset _ yet again bringing home the paradoxical fact that how sacred American blood is as opposed to the cheap Pakistani fluid that is spilled in gallons when our citizens are butchered and massacred like herds of nameless sheep and goat at the shameless excuse and pretext of ‘terror strikes’ and drone attacks. But then who are we to complain or crib when the ultimate champions of human rights justify all the brutality and slaughter in most convincing and categorical oratory?

Looking from the non political and personal perspective, as far as my limited knowledge goes, a murder can be settled against the blood money in the light of Islamic laws. But does that hold under the peculiar circumstances when the young widow had committed suicide against the killing of her husband in sheer protest and disappointment? And, though indirectly related, but how do we account for the innocent killing of the motor bike rider who was crushed by an unknown vehicle allegedly coming to the aid and rescue of Raymond Davis? At the same time the suspicious facts that have unfolded and marred the controversy and the deal cannot be dismissed lightly.

While it is hard to digest the irony when those who are protesting against an outcome achieved by resorting to Shariah laws happen to be the biggest advocates of Islamic laws and their enforcement, what is ironic is that how long the courts will take to mete out justice against a murderer who while vowing to protect the life and property of the governor, killed him in broad daylight in the presence of dozens of eyewitnesses?

There must be something in their blood or strewn in their culture that brings such enviable discipline, tolerance and patience that is hallmark of the champion Japanese nation. Imagine a small isolated country comprising series of islands fraught with rugged mountains and rough terrain combating triple disaster posed by the natural and human intervention.

A country and a nation probably most exposed to the frequent deadly earthquakes round the globe, Japan is arguably the most equipped and trained nation that responds to such a disaster. But horrifying even to think what it is pitted against right now!

An unprecedented earthquake (of the order of 9.0/9.1 on Richter scale) unleashing tremors of the magnitude that have NEVER been recorded in the history of the country before. These waves triggered not only a series of aftershocks but unleashed monstrous tsunami waves as high as 10 metres that swept away vehicles, installations and settlements like toys and doll houses in their rage as the heavens wrecked fury. As if it was not sufficient, the problems compounded a great deal by explosions in the nuclear reactors releasing radiations to the atmosphere and even generating a possibility of a meltdown according to certain quarters. According to latest update, the gravity of the situation has worsened and surged to level 6 on the international scale of safety operating on a scale of 0 to 7. The radiation leak is and may cause serious health hazards within its domain of influence that has a potential to spread gradually.

As the mother nature disgourged all its wrath and the disaster continued unabated, element of human intervention to natural course added a catastrophic dimension to the overall imbalance making one really wonder if the artificial and technological breakthroughs, in a holistic sense, are bringing any sustainable betterment to the mankind or potentially bringing it to the verge of destruction and elimination?

Leaving that argument aside, what is exemplary is the way the nation is responding to the disaster. Even if we talk of the nuclear reactors, the structures have sustained the tremors and conditions much beyond their design capacity. It is the operational failure engendered to devastating conditions that is causing all the havoc.

In spite of depleting supplies, no electricity, fuel and even water, the survivors reportedly wait in long lines for the basic utilities. There is little anger and no loot. Four days after the major catastrophe, the community is responding in a most responsible manner by sharing food with neighbours and cutting back on electricity supplies to diminish blackouts. The disrupted transport systems are forcing many to stay overnight at the remote cities and the people have opened their homes to others. To quote abc News “”I heard someone say they had two bottles of water and gave one to someone else.”

Japanese are a caring nation known to be hospitable and courteous to their neighbours and community in particular. This is the kind of spirit that is developing all the unity, bonding and interlocking enabling them to stand as an iron wall in the face of sheer adversity in this hour of need.

The Japanese prime minister in his speech to the nation on Sunday night declared that they were confronting the most serious crisis since the second world war.

True the prospects of a potential disaster still loom large and there is still a lot to worry about and deal with. But then he knew, he was addressing a nation that taught the world what rebuilding was all about_ A nation that despite all odds against it, rose from the rubbles of Hiroshima and Nagasaki to emerge as the third largest economy of the world within a matter of decades.

Be it the quality and conformity, Kaizan , productivity, efficiency, motivation, organizational behaviour, loyalty, commitment , emergency response or disaster management there is a lot to learn from these superhumans from the land of rising sun. With the massive flood devastation hardly behind us and a lot of rebuilding to go for, time to take a leaf out of their book!